Introduction

In the day and age we live in, cyber security is a major necessity for any PC owner it is very possible to encounter numerous threats on a everyday basis. With so much of our sensitive information stored within our personal computers, we take on a huge risk leaving it vulnerable to ending up in the wrong hands.

ESET is a company that produces multiple different pieces of security software for both PC and Mac computers. I was given the chance to put their Smart Security 6 software (PC only) to the test and will document my findings in the review below.

Pricing

The ESET Smart Security 6 software is only available for systems running compatible versions of Windows (see full list above). This means that any Mac users will not be able to take advantage of this software. The retail price for a license varies on the number of users and length of time. You can see full pricing details in the image below:

I think the price is suitable due to the plethora of features found within the software, but the $60/year price tag might be too expensive for some consumer’s budgets. If I had a say in the pricing, I would have liked to have seen the 3 user license priced around the $70 to match a competitor Kaspersky PURE 3.0 Total Security.

Anti-Theft Features

Location tracking

Laptop activity monitor

Anti-theft diagnostics

Remotely block access to your files

One-way messaging system

Smart Security 6 comes feature packed and outmatches much of the competition whom on offer only a portion of these features (although usually at a lower price point). I think ESET did a good job of including all the necessary security and anti-theft features into this product.

Interface

The ESET software’s interface is appealing and simple which makes it user friendly for consumers of all technical backgrounds. I think the interface’s design is on par with PURE 3.0’s, but I prefer Smart Security 6‘s slightly more due to the stronger choice of color combinations, fonts, and backgrounds which make it easier to read and navigate through.

Function & Performance

Throughout my use of the ESET Smart Security 6, I did not run into any performance issues and it is one of the most lightweight pieces of security software that I have used. With competitors like Macafee, software updates and various maintenance tasks often run automatically in the background and slow down your computer causing a serious headache. With Smart Security 6, I never noticed any lag or bottlenecks while using my computer and the software ran in the background without causing any changes in performance.

In terms of the security performance, the software performed about average, but did not blow me away. Throughout my testing, ESET was able to detect around 90% the malware samples I threw at it and did a great job of blocking this malware from intruding into my system. An independent source (av-comparatives.org) rated Smart Security 6’s anti-phishing technology at a 94/100 and its malware removal functionality at an 86/100.

The personal firewall and parental controls were fairly basic, but does a good job of protecting the system from any unauthorized access as well as blocking certain user accounts from accessing sensitive or dangerous websites. Enabling the parental controls was simpler than I expected and the software can utilize pre-made templates for site blocking based on whatever age your child may be. As a parent, this saves time and adds convenience to a task that can be somewhat difficult for many.

The anti-theft features are pretty neat and an aspect that most competitors do not cover. I ran a test run on my PC and within minutes, Smart Security 6 was able to sent me a screenshot of my PC’s desktop as well as a photo from my computer’s webcam showing the potential criminal (which in this case was me). Unfortunately, the software was unable to pinpoint any GPS coordinates of where the computer was located (which it is supposed to be able to do), but did give information about the computer’s IP address which could be useful in the right hands.

End Verdict

In the end, I think ESET Smart Security 6 is an solid piece of software that provides adequate protection from cyber threats and vulnerabilities as well as anti-theft features which can be extremely useful if your system becomes lost or stolen. The interface is sleek and easy to use which will suit both beginner and advanced users alike. If you are looking for software that provides security and anti-theft benefits, ESET Smart Security 6 is an excellent choice that I would recommend to others. If you don’t mind missing out on the anti-theft features then I’d suggest going with Kaspersky PURE 3.0 as their security features slightly outranked Smart Security 6 in multiple tests.

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